New to me Model 24-3

[1-1917]

I recently got this .44 Special and since I mostly shoot cast bullets, first thing I did was check the throats. They are very consistent but drop through a .432 pin gauge (.433 is a no go). These seem way too fat to me. Am I missing something? I don't have a mould that casts that fat as far as I know. Might get to .432 with powder coating and casting really soft lead might help.

Has anyone had accuracy issues with these revolvers or do they just shoot great with the fat cylinder throats?

 

[viceunit]

K

Thread 'Model 24-3 44 special, reloading/casting question'

May 18, 2025

Hello all, Thanks for any replies. I recently acquired a 61/2" 24-3 and I sat down to load some rounds and found the cylinder throats are .434" My cast bullets are 240 gr. sbwc sized .4295 I am wondering if any of you have had experience with these (to me) oversize throats and If so how did you go about getting good accuracy from cast bullets? Bullet diameter, bullet design, bullet weight etc. before I try to reinvent the wheel on my own.

Thankyou, Ken

• kadams
• Replies: 23
• Forum: Reloading

A recent thread on the same subject.

 

[1-1917]

Went through my .44 moulds and found an old Ideal mould (Ideal 429336) that dates back the era of the .44 Russian. It was maybe the first true SWC mould, made as a target round that cut a clean hole in targets. I'm hoping that it drops fatter than the Lyman 429421 that has been the only bullet I cast for .44. Time will tell.

 

[toad67]

Your best bet is to just shoot it first, the larger throats might not make any difference.

 

[mtgianni]

Accurate Molds makes several good ones. NOE is retiring and having a 30% off sale on all his molds. I have shot the 429421 with some success pc'd but the 0.432" RF does better. I have a 280 gr and a 230 gr NOE rf molds. I like the lighter mold for the special.

 

[mtgianni]

Your best bet is to just shoot it first, the larger throats might not make any difference.

I bought one from Toad67, a great guy. We agreed I might have put the first shots down the barrel but it hasn't seen many. I just shot it enough to see it's accuracy potential.

 

[Zeke38]

Some commercial casters will throw a 432 bullet for you. Worth a call.